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As the name of the place means ‘beautiful view’ you should have an inkling of what’s in store if you visit the Vale of Belvoir. ...MoreMore Uk destinations

The Cotswolds

If you’re in search of true English countryside then go no further than the Cotswolds. If you want to navigate the whole of the area however then you will have to go further, as this area of outstanding natural beauty – the largest in the UK - runs through six counties including Gloucestershire , Worcestershire , Oxfordshire and southern Warwickshire and takes in parts of West Wiltshire and Bath and North East Somerset in the South.

Gentle undulating hills and scenic valleys, including the Severn Valley and the Vale of Evesham , rise from the Thames to the northern and western edges of the Cotswolds which are marked by a limestone escarpment feature known as the Cotswold Edge which is the highest point of the Cotswolds and can be seen from miles away. If you really wanted to try and take in as much of the area as humanly possible you could tackle the Cotswold Way, a long-distance footpath about 103 miles long which runs the full length of the AONB. However we would recommend you just try doing a bit of it, and maybe doing it by bike.

It was the wool trade during the Middle Ages, that made the Cotswolds prosperous. Cotswold sheep were famous throughout Europe for heavy fleeces and high quality of wool, which commanded a high price. The wealth generated by the wool trade enabled wealthy traders to leave their mark by building fine houses and wonderful churches, known as “wool churches”. There are some beautiful examples of these scattered all over the area.